When a celebrity goes public about a health battle it makes news but is there an effect beyond the headlines?
Researchers wanted to find out so they analyzed data from a cancer center in Canada comparing the number of genetic counseling referrals made 6 months before and 6 months after Angelina Jolie announced she underwent a preventive double mastectomy. Jolie is a BRCA mutation carrier and has a family history of cancer. The number of women referred for genetic counseling by doctors rose by 90% in the six months after Jolie’s story broke. And they were overwhelmingly quality referrals meaning the women qualified for testing based on family and personal history. The researchers also found that the number of BRCA carriers detected more than doubled from 29 to 61 after Jolie’s announcement.
The lead author of the study is planning a follow-up to see whether the Jolie effect is on-going and long-lasting.
I’m Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV with the information you need to protect your health.
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